The pioneering chemist and serial entrepreneur will be honored for transforming how we treat cancer through targeted protein degradation

Yale Ventures is pleased to announce that Craig Crews, the John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry and Pharmacology at Yale, will be honored as a recipient of the Yale Founders Award at the 2026 Yale Innovation Summit, taking place May 27–28, 2026. The award will be presented by Yale President Maurie McInnis during a ceremony at the Summit.

For inventing an entirely new class of medicine now helping cancer patients worldwide, for building companies that translate discovery into treatment, and for his sustained commitment to the city and people of New Haven, we honor Craig Crews with the Yale Founders Award.

A member of the Yale faculty since 1995, Crews is a chemist, serial entrepreneur, and one of the most consequential figures in modern drug development. Working at the intersection of chemistry and biology, he pioneered the field of targeted protein degradation: a fundamentally new therapeutic approach that hijacks the cell's own quality control machinery to eliminate disease-causing proteins. The technology he invented, PROTACs (proteolysis targeting chimeras), has inspired dozens of companies and a new generation of medicines. Last month, vepdegestrant, developed by Crews's company Arvinas in partnership with Pfizer, became the first PROTAC therapy to receive FDA approval, as a treatment for breast cancer. It is a milestone 25 years in the making.

"Craig Crews exemplifies what Yale aspires to be: a place where curiosity-driven research generates ideas powerful enough to change how we understand and treat disease. His work began in a lab on this campus, traveled through companies he founded in this city, and is now helping patients around the world. That is Yale's mission made real," said Yale President Maurie McInnis BA, '90 MA, '96 PhD.

The Yale Founders Award recognizes Yale founders whose work exemplifies innovation, leadership, and how the university’s enduring mission of pursuing knowledge leads to benefits for all of humanity. Crews has built three drug development companies, all grounded in Yale science: Proteolix, Arvinas, and Halda Therapeutics, each advancing treatments for some of medicine's most stubborn challenges. Proteolix led to Kyprolis, now a standard treatment for multiple myeloma. Arvinas brought vepdegestrant to FDA approval and is developing a robust pipeline targeting additional cancers and neurological diseases. Halda, founded in New Haven in 2018, was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2025. Taken together, these companies have delivered FDA-approved treatments, created high-skilled jobs in New Haven, and demonstrated that fundamental academic research can become transformative medicine.

Crews has spent more than three decades building not only companies but a broader ecosystem. As executive director of the Yale Center for Molecular Discovery, he supports the translation of Yale science into real-world impact across the University. His lab has trained generations of researchers who now work at the frontier of chemistry-based medicine.

His commitment to New Haven extends well beyond the lab. Crews spearheaded BioLaunch, a state-funded workforce development program created in partnership with the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT) to prepare New Haven residents for careers in the biotech industry. The program targets 18-to-26-year-olds who are not college-bound, offering a four-month technical training curriculum, a monthly stipend for support services including childcare and transportation, and a paid industrial internship with local biopharma labs. No college degree or out-of-pocket training costs are required. As Crews has put it: "We started BioLaunch to help those in New Haven who might need a hand in getting into the biotech industry, as well as to help the industry recognize the many talents that our local workforce has to offer."  

His presence in New Haven as a faculty member, founder, and 31-year resident reflects a vision of innovation that is accountable to the community it calls home.

"Craig Crews is the perfect candidate to receive the first Yale Founder Award. His contributions to science and medicine, his passion to translate his ideas into new startup companies, and the resulting job creation and economic development in New Haven are unparalleled," said Josh Geballe '97, '02 MBA, Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Managing Director of Yale Ventures. "The recent FDA approval of the first PROTAC therapy is a landmark moment, and another major milestone in Craig’s remarkable career. "

About the Yale Founders Award

Presented annually at the Yale Innovation Summit, the Yale Founder Award honors members of the Yale community whose innovation has created lasting impact. These awards celebrate the spirit of innovation that defines Yale — where ideas become ventures addressing humanity's most pressing challenges. Honorees exemplify Yale's tradition of expanding the frontiers of human knowledge and ability, transforming insight into impact through ventures that serve people, communities, and the planet.  

About the Yale Innovation Summit

The Yale Innovation Summit, taking place May 27–28, 2026, is the Northeast's largest and most dynamic gathering for innovation and entrepreneurship. Open to the public and hosted by Yale Ventures, the Summit brings together founders, investors, researchers, students, creatives, and industry leaders from around the world. Across six tracks (arts, biotech, civic, climate, health, and tech) the two-day event features bold pitch competitions, high-impact panels, investor programming, and curated networking experiences. Learn more and register at yaleventures.swoogo.com/yaleinnovation2026.